Dietician Shows How The Same Meal Can Have 400+ Calorie Difference And We All Need To Make These Changes

The liquid diet, the baby food diet, the raw food diet, people have gone to some pretty extreme lengths to lose weight, but even those who don’t follow the craziest diet trends and stick with plain ol’ healthy eating regimens, could be doing it wrong. Yes, one dietician is shedding some light on these ‘healthy’ plate mistakes by posting identical photos of the same meal but with an upward difference of around 300 calories.

The nutritionist, Paula Norris, has captioned the collection on Instagram ‘Spot The Difference’ and trust us – you can’t. Along with the high calorie and low-calorie photos she writes out the calorie saving recipes and general healthy eating tips such as portion control, focusing on healthy oils and replacing starchy carbs.

For Norris the key is attainability, writing on her page: “Ever since I studied Dietetics, I haven’t bothered with drastic diet changes to achieve goals because I know how short term, unsustainable and depressing they are. Changes I make are small, almost unnoticeable and spread across days and weeks. Decreasing the serve size of energy dense foods and increasing portions of low energy density foods has been key for me. A lot of small changes can add up!”

Scroll down below to see these amazing plate comparisons and see if you can spot the difference!

#1 Sneaky ‘Salads’⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Unfortunately calorie heavy dressings, too much grain and not enough veg can result in a ‘salad’ with calories closer to that of a risotto. Here’s how easily it can happen, even with ‘salads’ of similar bulk…🔸On the left:• 1 cup cooked Pearl Barley• 70g Haloumi• 1/3 Zucchini• 2 florets Broccoli• 1/4 Capsicum• 50g Eggplant• 3 Cherry Tomatoes• 200g Poached Chicken• 1/2 cup herbs• Dressing of 2tsp EVOO and 2tsp Balsamic…

#2 Both Of These Meals Are Healthy But Depending On Your Goals You May Make Some Modifications For More Or Less Calories⠀

Both of these meals are healthy but depending on your goals you may make some modifications for more or less calories.This one is also important as while good fats are ofcourse amazing for and required by our bodies- the calories can add up. So if you’re trying to move some weight you need to be aware of portions of even good fats. 🔸On the left • Large (220g) Salmon fillet (when…

#3 The Impact That Ingredient Manipulation Can Have On The Overall Calories In A Meal

These posts are NOT to encourage calorie counting but are to demonstrate the impact that ingredient manipulation can have on the overall calories in a meal (obviously important for those of you who are trying to lose weight). On the left:🔸50g Feta🔸200g Sweet Potato 🔸4 Cherry Tomatoes🔸1/2 cup Baby Spinach🔸1/4 small Capsicum🔸1/6 medium Zucchini🔸1 cup cooked Quinoa🔸180g Poached chicken🔸Dressing of Balsamic Vinegar + Olive Oil. On the right:🔹25g Feta🔹100g Sweet Potato🔹8…

These posts are NOT to encourage calorie counting but are to demonstrate the impact that ingredient manipulation can have on the overall calories in a meal (obviously important for those of you who are trying to lose weight). On the left:🔸50g Feta🔸200g Sweet Potato 🔸4 Cherry Tomatoes🔸1/2 cup Baby Spinach🔸1/4 small Capsicum🔸1/6 medium Zucchini🔸1 cup cooked Quinoa🔸180g Poached chicken🔸Dressing of Balsamic Vinegar + Olive Oil. On the right:🔹25g Feta🔹100g Sweet Potato🔹8 Cherry Tomatoes🔹1 cup Baby Spinach🔹1/2 small Capsicum🔹1/3 medium Zucchini🔹1/2 cup cooked Quinoa🔹120g Poached chicken🔹Dressing of Balsamic Vinegar

#9 Changes I Make Are Small, Almost Unnoticeable And Spread Across Days And Weeks

Ever since I studied Dietetics, I haven’t bothered with drastic diet changes to achieve goals because I know how short term, unsustainable and depressing they are. Changes I make are small, almost unnoticeable and spread across days and weeks. Decreasing the serve size of energy dense foods and increasing portions of low energy density foods has been key for me. A lot of small changes can add up!

#10 Small Change Diet⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

While 170 Calories difference doesn’t seem huge, a few small changes like this across the day can be the difference between weight gain, maintenance and loss 3 almost unnoticeable changes like this across your day will cut the calories required to lose 0.5kg per week. So while 170 Calories doesn’t sound like much, it can help you get to your goals. And because the difference between these bowls in bulk…

While 170 Calories difference doesn’t seem huge, a few small changes like this across the day can be the difference between weight gain, maintenance and loss 3 almost unnoticeable changes like this across your day will cut the calories required to lose 0.5kg per week. So while 170 Calories doesn’t sound like much, it can help you get to your goals. And because the difference between these bowls in bulk is minimal, both will be filling! On the left:🔹3/4 cup muesli🔹100g full fat yoghurt🔹1Tbsp sultanas🔹1/4 cup mixed berries🔹1 Tbsp Chia seeds🔹1 tsp Pomegranate seed. On the Right:🔸1/2 cup muesli🔸100g reduces fat yoghurt🔸3/4 cup mixed berries🔸2 tsp Chia seeds🔸1 tsp Pomegranate seeds

You can apply some of the below modifications based on your fitness goals- if you want to gain weight – go left. If your goal is to lose or maintain weight – go right. The bulk of these meals is pretty much the same, so both will be equally filling. This is important because satiety is one of the major challenges when trying to lose weight and many people think…

You can apply some of the below modifications based on your fitness goals- if you want to gain weight – go left. If your goal is to lose or maintain weight – go right. The bulk of these meals is pretty much the same, so both will be equally filling. This is important because satiety is one of the major challenges when trying to lose weight and many people think they need to eat smaller meals. This is simply not necessary!ðŸ”¸On the leftâ€¢ 3 small soft shell tacosâ€¢ 1tsp oil for cookingâ€¢ 1/2 garlic cloveâ€¢ 1/2 brown onionâ€¢ 200g Regular minceâ€¢ Taco seasoning + herbsâ€¢ 1/2 tin tomatoesâ€¢ 4 cherry tomatoesâ€¢ 1/4 small corn cobâ€¢ 50g Avocadoâ€¢ 40g full fat cheddar cheese ðŸ”¹On the rightâ€¢ 3 large lettuce leaves for shellsâ€¢ 1Tbsp water for cookingâ€¢ 1/2 garlic clove â€¢ 1/2 brown onionâ€¢ 100g Extra lean minceâ€¢ 70g red kidney beansâ€¢ 1 small grated carrot â€¢ Taco seasoning + herbsâ€¢ 1/2 tin tomatoesâ€¢ 8 cherry tomatoesâ€¢ 25g dices capsicum â€¢ 1/4 small corn cobâ€¢ 25g Avocadoâ€¢ 10g Parmesan cheese (Parmesan has a much sharper flavour so you can get away with much less)

#15 If Youâ€™re Trying To Lose Weight Then It Can Be Easy To Overdo The Cals On Even Seemingly Healthy Meals Like Stir Fry

If youâ€™re trying to lose weight then it can be easy to overdo the cals on even seemingly healthy meals like stir fry! ***As a note- I have weighed the non starchy veg for this demo but I DO NOT weigh non starchy veg at home- I throw as much as I can in! Scales are good to keep portion sizes in check for meats, starchy carbs and good fats…

If youâ€™re trying to lose weight then it can be easy to overdo the cals on even seemingly healthy meals like stir fry! ***As a note- I have weighed the non starchy veg for this demo but I DO NOT weigh non starchy veg at home- I throw as much as I can in! Scales are good to keep portion sizes in check for meats, starchy carbs and good fats (although measuring in spoons, cups usually works for a lot of starchy carbs and fats) but weighing is not required for non starchy veg! On the left: ðŸ”¸50g capsicumðŸ”¸20g zucchiniðŸ”¸2 stalks broccoliniðŸ”¸1 large mushroomðŸ”¸15g beansðŸ”¸1/2 small onionðŸ”¸200g beef (when cooked)ðŸ”¸2tsp oilðŸ”¸1Tbsp sweet chilli sauceðŸ”¸2tsp oyster sauceðŸ”¸2tsp lime juiceðŸ”¸1 cup cooked rice. On the right:ðŸ”¹100g capsicumðŸ”¹50g zucchiniðŸ”¹3 stalks broccoliniðŸ”¹1 large mushroomðŸ”¹40g beansðŸ”¹1/2 small onionðŸ”¹100g beef (when cooked)ðŸ”¹Spray oilðŸ”¹1tsp SrirachaðŸ”¹3tsp oyster sauceðŸ”¹2tsp lime juiceðŸ”¹1/2 cup cooked rice

#16 Same Bowl, Filled Differently

The calories in the bowl on the left quickly add up because of: – Large amount of rice (1 cup cooked)- Half an Avo (even though it is healthy- it is still energy dense)- Extra seeds (same disclaimer as the Avo)- Mayonnaise dressing. The bowl on the right has:- 1/3 cup cooked rice- 1/4 Avocado ðŸ¥‘- 1 tsp seeds- Tahini + lemon juice for dressingl

#17 Hummus Vs Hummus

Hummus is often a go to healthy snack but the calorie density of some brands is almost triple others due to the amount of oil added in production âœ”ï¸Check the label and pick one with between 500-650kJ/120-150cals per 100g product

#18 Fuller For Longer?â €â €â €â €â €â €

So you might think more calories and volume will help keep you fuller for longer. Unfortunately this is not always the case. The high carbohydrate load thanks to adding the muffin and danish on the plate on the right hand side may actually leave you feeling hungry SOONER.When we eat a large amount of carbs in one sitting (known as glycemic load), our blood sugar levels go up relative to…

So you might think more calories and volume will help keep you fuller for longer. Unfortunately this is not always the case. The high carbohydrate load thanks to adding the muffin and danish on the plate on the right hand side may actually leave you feeling hungry SOONER.When we eat a large amount of carbs in one sitting (known as glycemic load), our blood sugar levels go up relative to the amount weâ€™ve eaten. Our bodies then release insulin in an effort to regulate our blood sugar levels to bring them back to within a desirable range. The spike and fall of blood sugar and insulin has been shown that it can leave people feeling hungry sooner. So while carbs are NOT BAD- our bodies are better at processing them when theyâ€™re consumed in moderate portions across the day instead of in huge loads. **Results will vary between individuals but it is something to consider if you find yourself often getting hungry soon after what seems like a decent sized meal!

#19 Healthy Pasta?â €â €â €â €â €â €â €â €

While pasta is not the devil, it gets a bad wrap. The portion size and what we load it up with can be an issue, itâ€™s easy for the cals to add up! ã€°ï¸On the left:ðŸ”¹ 2 tsp EVOOðŸ”¹ 200g chickenðŸ”¹ 30g semi-trimmed baconðŸ”¹ 2 cups cooked pastaðŸ”¹ 30g full fat cheddarðŸ”¹ 2 large Florets Broccoli, 1 medium mushroom. âœ”ï¸Easy swaps to get the dish on the right: ðŸ”¸100g chicken…

#20 Ott On The Oats?

It’s easy to fill our bowl up with oats. They’re unprocessed nature means a ‘serve’ doesn’t look like a lot in the bowl when they’re raw. If you’re trying to save some calories opt for a smaller bowl of oats and top up with some extra fruit! ðŸ‘†ðŸ»This pic is 2/3 cup uncooked on the left and 1/3 on the right. Over a year this small change made daily is…

It’s easy to fill our bowl up with oats. They’re unprocessed nature means a ‘serve’ doesn’t look like a lot in the bowl when they’re raw. If you’re trying to save some calories opt for a smaller bowl of oats and top up with some extra fruit! ðŸ‘†ðŸ»This pic is 2/3 cup uncooked on the left and 1/3 on the right. Over a year this small change made daily is the equivalent of 5kg worth of calories

Bowl on the left made with: ðŸ”¹180g regular minceðŸ”¹1 tsp Oil for cookingðŸ”¹15g ParmesanðŸ”¹1 cup cooked pasta ðŸSave some cals by:ðŸ”¸Replacing 1/2 cup pasta with zoodles (but still keeping 1/2 cup pasta!)ðŸ”¸Use less mince (100g) and choose extra leanðŸ”¸Add 1 grated carrot, a fresh tomato and extra grated zucchiniðŸ”¸Start cooking with a small amount of water instead of oilðŸ”¸Use a smaller amount of Parmesan (5g) [both have tinned tomato, herbs,…

#22 Healthy Swaps For Your Lasagneâ €â €â €â €â €â €â €â €

HEALTHY SWAPS FOR YOUR LASAGNE.â €One the left (per serve):ðŸ”¹150g Standard MinceðŸ”¹2tsp oil to cook minceðŸ”¹100g creamðŸ”¹40g Cheese for white sauce and to top. On the right (per serve):ðŸ”¸100g lean MinceðŸ”¸Use water to cook in fry pan (less need for Oil when youâ€™re using so many tasty ingredients!)ðŸ”¸1/2 Medium CarrotðŸ”¸1/4 large ZucchiniðŸ”¸Replace 100g cream with 75g Ricotta + 25ml milk (to get right consistency)ðŸ”¸12g Parmesan cheese to top. Parmesan has a…

HEALTHY SWAPS FOR YOUR LASAGNE.â €One the left (per serve):ðŸ”¹150g Standard MinceðŸ”¹2tsp oil to cook minceðŸ”¹100g creamðŸ”¹40g Cheese for white sauce and to top. On the right (per serve):ðŸ”¸100g lean MinceðŸ”¸Use water to cook in fry pan (less need for Oil when youâ€™re using so many tasty ingredients!)ðŸ”¸1/2 Medium CarrotðŸ”¸1/4 large ZucchiniðŸ”¸Replace 100g cream with 75g Ricotta + 25ml milk (to get right consistency)ðŸ”¸12g Parmesan cheese to top. Parmesan has a sharper flavour which means you need less on top. Using Ricotta for white sauce means you can go without cheeseðŸ”¹ðŸ”¸[Both contain 1/4 brown onion, 1 lasagne sheet, 35g tomato paste, 1/4 tin tomatoes, chilli, thyme, oregano and parsley per serve]